Augustus Sophia DeBates (Maines)

Augusta “Gustie” DeBates, age 93, of Luverne, died Saturday, September 14, 1996, at the Mary Jane Brown Home, in Luverne.She was born February 8th, 1903, in Springwater Township; Rock County, to Ernest and Anna (Reimer) Maines.Gustie attended school in Rock County.She lived all of her life in Rock County.

Gustie married John “Jack” DeBates September 9th, 1931, at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Pipestone, MN.After their Marriage, the couple lived on a farm West of Hardwick until 1952, when they moved to Hardwick and purchased a grovery store called the “DeBates Grocery”.After selling the grocery store, Gustie worked part-time as a cook at the Green Lantern Café, in Hardwick, until moving to the Blue Mund Tower in Luverne in1974.

She was a member of the St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, in Luverne; the CCW; and Gustie became active at the Senior Citizens Center, in Luverne, and volunteered whenever she could.She enjoyed playing cards and visiting; and she moved to the Mary Jane Brown Home, in Luverne, in March of 1995.

At the time of her death, Gustie was survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Lowell Ahrendt, Luverne; daughter-in-law, Shirley DeBates, Luverne; ten grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a sister, Anna Jaacks, Pipestone.

She was preceded in her death by her parents; husband, John, on January 6th, 1975; son DuWayne, in 1980; three grandchildren, Mark and Sarah DeBates; and Todd Ahrendt; two brothers, Henry and Ernest Maines; and a sister Emma Jaacks.